why did they stop making the quadzilla
#31
07-26-2004, 06:40 PM
why did they stop making the quadzilla
When I was about 14 I went to the suzuki yami dealership and asked the sales guy what the fastest quad they have was and he told me obviously the (banshee)... This was like 1995. Well anyway he was like when I first started working here they used to sell the Quadzilla and that was by far the fastest quad but too many people were getting killed on them so they stopped producing them. The same thing happened to trikes a few years before. Whowever said why do they still make GSXR's.... blah blah, blah.... A motorcycle going 80mph on a flat road is one thing but doing 80mph over bumpy terrain on a quad is deadly.
Banshee's have between 34-36hp stock not near the power of the zilla. They weigh almost 400 pounds making them slower and safer.... also if you read the newest issue of atv action and the review of the banshee it even states that in 1987 atv's were being reviewed by the consumer safty board. This is why yamaha choked up the banshee motor to limit the power and also why the footpegs are so high up and foward... (stated in the article) this was designed to keep the banshee from wheelying. It def works a stock banshee does not wheely even on the street!!! This makes it much more idiot proof and when you produce an atv you can be sure that plenty of idiots will buy them.... yamaha new this!!! in 87 Suzuki fired back at yamaha buy making a quad that would blow away all the competition (zilla).... however it was too good and too fast.
Dirt bikes don't suffer so much from consumer safety board flack because most people ride 125's and no one is going to have the cojones to ride a dirtbike 250 or up with no experience. Most people race dirt bikes and no what they are doing. Ive met far more idiots on quads than i have on dirtbikes. I let my girl ride my blaster and yes she could have possibly gotten injured...... However she would be perfectly safe on my dirtbike or a cr500 for that matter because i would never ever ever let her ride something like that. On countless occasions I have seen idiots at a 4th of july party drinking beers and letting everyone at the party ride their new quad up and down the street with sandals and no helmet. Little kids ride up and down my road all day on quads with no helmets on and girls on the back. I have never seen anything like that on a dirtbike. Quads (and 20 years ago trikes) give people a false sense of security and too much confidence in their ability. Hence the injuries.
Banshee's have between 34-36hp stock not near the power of the zilla. They weigh almost 400 pounds making them slower and safer.... also if you read the newest issue of atv action and the review of the banshee it even states that in 1987 atv's were being reviewed by the consumer safty board. This is why yamaha choked up the banshee motor to limit the power and also why the footpegs are so high up and foward... (stated in the article) this was designed to keep the banshee from wheelying. It def works a stock banshee does not wheely even on the street!!! This makes it much more idiot proof and when you produce an atv you can be sure that plenty of idiots will buy them.... yamaha new this!!! in 87 Suzuki fired back at yamaha buy making a quad that would blow away all the competition (zilla).... however it was too good and too fast.
Dirt bikes don't suffer so much from consumer safety board flack because most people ride 125's and no one is going to have the cojones to ride a dirtbike 250 or up with no experience. Most people race dirt bikes and no what they are doing. Ive met far more idiots on quads than i have on dirtbikes. I let my girl ride my blaster and yes she could have possibly gotten injured...... However she would be perfectly safe on my dirtbike or a cr500 for that matter because i would never ever ever let her ride something like that. On countless occasions I have seen idiots at a 4th of july party drinking beers and letting everyone at the party ride their new quad up and down the street with sandals and no helmet. Little kids ride up and down my road all day on quads with no helmets on and girls on the back. I have never seen anything like that on a dirtbike. Quads (and 20 years ago trikes) give people a false sense of security and too much confidence in their ability. Hence the injuries.
#32
07-27-2004, 01:16 PM
why did they stop making the quadzilla
There was a perception of the LT500 at the time of it's introduction that it was brutally powerful and scary fast. But, unless you rode ATVs at that time, you may not understand what all the fuss was about. The gentlemen who quoted hp numbers in the 40-50hp range are correct. I recall 45hp as being the magic number.
Motorwise, the Suzuki LT500 was king of the hill. Only the Banshee offered any real challenge to its rule. Sportwise, the only other quads available at the time included the Tecate 4, the 250R, the LT250 Quadracer, the Mojave, the 250X, the 230/250 Quadsport, the Blaster and, of course, the Warrior. Among those, only the Tecate 4, 250R, and 250Q'racer were serious racers with two stroke motors. As you can see, compared to most of the other quads available at the time, the Quadracer 500 might as well have been an Lockheed SR-71.
The Quadzilla and the Banshee were both considered extraordinary ATVs during their day. At a time when many ATV riders still preferred three wheelers, these two machines set new standards for performance and expectations of a high performance ATV. Although both machines approached the high performance mark from two entirely different directions, at the hands of the right rider or tuner, neither machine excelled at anything that much greater than the other. In my opinion, these machines complimented each other more than they competed against each other.
It's a shame that the Quadzilla was discontinued, but in retrospect it's even more amazing that it was ever produced. It was produced at a time when ATVs were facing some of their most critical battles to merely survive.
If you've ever owned or even ridden one of these machines, consider yourself blessed.
Motorwise, the Suzuki LT500 was king of the hill. Only the Banshee offered any real challenge to its rule. Sportwise, the only other quads available at the time included the Tecate 4, the 250R, the LT250 Quadracer, the Mojave, the 250X, the 230/250 Quadsport, the Blaster and, of course, the Warrior. Among those, only the Tecate 4, 250R, and 250Q'racer were serious racers with two stroke motors. As you can see, compared to most of the other quads available at the time, the Quadracer 500 might as well have been an Lockheed SR-71.
The Quadzilla and the Banshee were both considered extraordinary ATVs during their day. At a time when many ATV riders still preferred three wheelers, these two machines set new standards for performance and expectations of a high performance ATV. Although both machines approached the high performance mark from two entirely different directions, at the hands of the right rider or tuner, neither machine excelled at anything that much greater than the other. In my opinion, these machines complimented each other more than they competed against each other.
It's a shame that the Quadzilla was discontinued, but in retrospect it's even more amazing that it was ever produced. It was produced at a time when ATVs were facing some of their most critical battles to merely survive.
If you've ever owned or even ridden one of these machines, consider yourself blessed.
#34
07-27-2004, 04:19 PM
why did they stop making the quadzilla
Originally posted by: MALOCHALA
There was a perception of the LT500 at the time of it's introduction that it was brutally powerful and scary fast. But, unless you rode ATVs at that time, you may not understand what all the fuss was about. The gentlemen who quoted hp numbers in the 40-50hp range are correct. I recall 45hp as being the magic number.
Motorwise, the Suzuki LT500 was king of the hill. Only the Banshee offered any real challenge to its rule. Sportwise, the only other quads available at the time included the Tecate 4, the 250R, the LT250 Quadracer, the Mojave, the 250X, the 230/250 Quadsport, the Blaster and, of course, the Warrior. Among those, only the Tecate 4, 250R, and 250Q'racer were serious racers with two stroke motors. As you can see, compared to most of the other quads available at the time, the Quadracer 500 might as well have been an Lockheed SR-71.
The Quadzilla and the Banshee were both considered extraordinary ATVs during their day. At a time when many ATV riders still preferred three wheelers, these two machines set new standards for performance and expectations of a high performance ATV. Although both machines approached the high performance mark from two entirely different directions, at the hands of the right rider or tuner, neither machine excelled at anything that much greater than the other. In my opinion, these machines complimented each other more than they competed against each other.
It's a shame that the Quadzilla was discontinued, but in retrospect it's even more amazing that it was ever produced. It was produced at a time when ATVs were facing some of their most critical battles to merely survive.
If you've ever owned or even ridden one of these machines, consider yourself blessed.
There was a perception of the LT500 at the time of it's introduction that it was brutally powerful and scary fast. But, unless you rode ATVs at that time, you may not understand what all the fuss was about. The gentlemen who quoted hp numbers in the 40-50hp range are correct. I recall 45hp as being the magic number.
Motorwise, the Suzuki LT500 was king of the hill. Only the Banshee offered any real challenge to its rule. Sportwise, the only other quads available at the time included the Tecate 4, the 250R, the LT250 Quadracer, the Mojave, the 250X, the 230/250 Quadsport, the Blaster and, of course, the Warrior. Among those, only the Tecate 4, 250R, and 250Q'racer were serious racers with two stroke motors. As you can see, compared to most of the other quads available at the time, the Quadracer 500 might as well have been an Lockheed SR-71.
The Quadzilla and the Banshee were both considered extraordinary ATVs during their day. At a time when many ATV riders still preferred three wheelers, these two machines set new standards for performance and expectations of a high performance ATV. Although both machines approached the high performance mark from two entirely different directions, at the hands of the right rider or tuner, neither machine excelled at anything that much greater than the other. In my opinion, these machines complimented each other more than they competed against each other.
It's a shame that the Quadzilla was discontinued, but in retrospect it's even more amazing that it was ever produced. It was produced at a time when ATVs were facing some of their most critical battles to merely survive.
If you've ever owned or even ridden one of these machines, consider yourself blessed.
#35
07-28-2004, 02:39 PM
why did they stop making the quadzilla
It brought a tear to my eye as well when I read in this month's 4 wheel action that 2006 will be the last year for the banshee..... I feel like I have to buy one now to be part of the legend. I mean it will be the last "cool quad" ever produced. I think yamaha should have at least let the banshee run till 2007 so it could have survived for an even 20yrs. They could have released a 20yr. anniversery addtion. STUPID ENVIRONMENTALISTS. I hope it will still be available in Japan or some other country so someone else can ride around on 20:1 fuel mix polluting the air for all those americans who can no longer do so. THE BANSHEE WILL FOREVER BE THE BEST LOOKING QUAD EVER MADE. THE NEW RAPTOR STYLING IS ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS ON THE YFZ AND RAPTOR AND EVERYTHING NEW YAMI IS MAKING!!!!
#36
07-28-2004, 05:12 PM
why did they stop making the quadzilla
/AGREE..... For those of us raised on two stroke motors and who understand there nature it will be a sad day when the last one is produced. Although I grew up in the riegn of the Quad 500 and 250r days so in 87-88 when the honda 250r, and 92 the lt250 quadracers were gone my heart already had been broken[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]. 2Stroke motors>4strokes for the time bieng........
#37
07-28-2004, 06:08 PM
why did they stop making the quadzilla
Originally posted by: LTrider4life
THE BANSHEE WILL FOREVER BE THE BEST LOOKING QUAD EVER MADE. THE NEW RAPTOR STYLING IS ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS ON THE YFZ AND RAPTOR AND EVERYTHING NEW YAMI IS MAKING!!!!
THE BANSHEE WILL FOREVER BE THE BEST LOOKING QUAD EVER MADE. THE NEW RAPTOR STYLING IS ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS ON THE YFZ AND RAPTOR AND EVERYTHING NEW YAMI IS MAKING!!!!
Yikes I have long thought the Banshee was by far the UGLIEST sport quad ever made! I guess it is a matter of opinion!
Nocando
#38
07-28-2004, 06:31 PM
#39
07-28-2004, 07:35 PM
